Dehydration resulting from fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or combinations thereof, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. While not generally considered a substantial worry for healthy individuals in developed countries, it remains a considerable health concern for those in poor or compromised health. One method for treating dehydration is administration of an Oral Rehydration Composition(s) (ORC). In general, when consumed by an individual afflicted with dehydration, an ORC supplies necessary calories and electrolytes that otherwise the individual would have difficulty absorbing. This is accomplished through a balance between the amount of carbohydrates and the amount of electrolytes in the ORC. For example, sodium absorption improves as the dextrose concentration of the oral fluid is increased up to about 2.5% w/w. But higher concentrations of dextrose increase the osmotic load in the gut, which pulls water out of the blood stream, leading to a net reduction in sodium and water absorption. This net loss of fluids and electrolytes further exacerbates dehydration.
However, only certain carbohydrates have been shown to be effective in aiding absorption of electrolytes. Generally, simple sugars such as dextrose and fructose are effective while larger carbohydrates do not provide the same benefit. Further, many Oligosaccharides are known to have limited stability in acidic medium such as is common to ORC. Because of this, conventional ORC generally do not include oligosaccharides or polysaccharides.